Vehicle-spring



V UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

MORRIS WOODHULL, or DAYTON, OiuO.

VEHICLE-SPRING."

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 224,859, dated February 24, 1880.

` Application filed December 1, 1879.

\ l To all whom it may concern.

f `Be it known that I, Monats WOODHULL, of Dayton, in the county of Montgomery and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in VehicleSprings; and

I do hereby declare the following to be afull,

. etclear, and exactdescription of the same.

. My invention relates to an improwement in vehicle-sprin gs of that class more particularly adapted to side bars, and also side-sprin g bug- O`ies. b

Thenature of theinvention can be readily une derstood `by reference to the following descrip H tion and accompanying drawings, in which- `Figure 1` is an inverted plan view of the runnlng-gear of a cross-spring side-bar buggy,

y showing `the application Of my invention. e Fig. 2 is an end elevation of the same through the line .r m of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a corresponding view, showing a modiiication of `my inven` "A Arepresent the side bars, supported in theusual way upon the bolster and axle G.

1 e Jois the bottom 'of the` body or bed, and is i Ebars A are secured clips E, from whichleafhung in place as follows: At each end of the l springs F, of the `shape indicated, pass, and,

The ends of these springs are not rigidly fastened at either end, but are hung upon pivots, `as shown, so that greater play and elasticity are obtained.

e To render this arrangement more perfect I l apply adjustable fulcrums H to the springs,

\ y y as seen in Figs. land 2.

These fulcrums consist of metal socket-pieces a., resting upon the top of the springs, and containing in their upper ends rubber or other soft and elastic Q pads b, which bear against the bottom of the body or bed, as shown.

. Clip-boltsc extend down upon each side of the spring, so as to embrace it, and are con- 1 `nectedby a clamping-link, ol, as represented. Nuts c, screwed upon the lower ends of the bolts, serve to secure the whole in place, and

by loosening` them the fulcrums may be adjusted by sliding them to any desired point upon the springs. i

These fulcrums and the springs, hinged "at both ends, constitute the essence of my invention, for by them theelasticity of the springs can beregulated at will to suit light or heavy loads.

By sliding these fulcrums toward each other under the middle of the body the springs will have the greatest elasticity, and willbe adapted for light ordinary weights or loads.

If it is desired to increase the tension or rigidity of the springs the fulcrums are moved from each other towardthe pivots G. As the springs areinclined they thus act as wedges, and serve, practically, to shorten the spring and thus render it more rigid.

If it is desired' to carry a heavy load on one side of the vehicle and a light one on the other the fulcrums are so shifted that the resistance on the side of the bed destined to `carry the heavy weight is greater than on the opposite side. By this means the springs may be adjusted to a nicety to carry the body level with unequal weights on either side.

I am aware that it is not new to employ adjustable spiral or other springs in connecltion with pivoted rigid cross-bars, said adjustable springs being theonly ones employed to give elasticity to the bed; and I am aware that cross-sprin gs have been employed before, and lay no claim to such, per se but I do not wish to be limited to the construction or ein` ployment of leaf-springs, as they may be solid and be made of drawn steel;` nor do I limit myself to the construction and mode ot' attachment of the adjustable fulcrums, as they may be made and applied in various ways, one of which is shown in Fig. 3, where the fulcrums, instead of being fastened on springs, are secured on rods f, attached to the under sideof the bed or body, and are held at any destined point by thumb-screws. Again, this arrangement ofthe springs and fulcrunns may be applied to other classes of vehicles besides those known as side-bar buggies;77 and the springs, instead of running from side to side regulated to suit the character of the load, as

of the body, may run from end to end, thus set forth. 1o adapting them as sidesprings. Witness my hand this 20th day of Novem- Having thus fully described my invention, ber, A. D. 1879. I l 5 I claim- 1 MORRIS WOODHULL,

The combination, with crossintersecting,` ve- Witnesses hide-springs, of adjustable fulernrns or rests, l PATRICK H. GUNGKEL,

whereby the elasticity of the springs may be l CEAS. M. PECK. 

